Kelmann



(Nd Model.)

H. H. BOKELMANN.

FRUIT OR OTHER JAR. No. 603,020. Patented Apr. 26, 1898.

UNITED STATES PATENT @rrrcs.

HERMAN HENRY BOKELMANN, OF NEWVARK, NEIV JERSEY, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF TOHENRY PUROELL, OF SAME PLACE.

FRUIT OR OTHER JAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 603,020, dated April26, 1898.

Application filed May 26, 1897- Serial lie- 688.316. (No model.)

To (l/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN HENRY 150- KELMANN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit orother Jars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in fruit or other jars used inpreserving food products.

It frequently happens in the fruit-jars in common use that the cover, byreason of the sugar or sticky substance in the contents of the jar,becomes so firmly attached to the jar as to be difiicult of removalwithout breaking the jar or cover. Besides this, as no provision is madein these jars for the escape of air when the cover is put on,fermentation may result and spoil or injure the contents. Suchfermentation is not likely to be noticed until the cover is removed or,as often happens, until the goods have been sold, at which time, byreason of the spoiled goods, the dealers reputation is liable to beinjured. Again, nearly all the jars in use require clamping or screwdevices to hold the covers on, and these devices are often expensive andcomplicated in operation. viate all these difficulties.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, likeletters of reference designate likeparts.

Figure 1 illustrates a cross-section of a fruit-jar and cover. Fig. 2illustrates a plan view of the under side of a fruit-jar cover.

In Fig. 1, A indicates the top of afruit-jar in cross-section.

B indicates the cover of a fruit-jar in crosssection.

0 shows a plug, preferably of wood and of the shape shown.

D D indicate corrugations on the under side of the cover E E indicatelugs on the inside of the cover B, adapted to engage a groove in theoutside of the jar.

F shows a hole preferably in the center of the top of the cover B toadmit the plug 0.

G G indicate a groove at right angles near the top of the jar andoutside it, encircling My device is intended to ob the jar. This groovecontains a filling substance X, preferably flat and of rubber, en-

shown, the intersecting channels between them, and the lugs E E.

In operation I fill the jar with the goods to be preserved nearly levelwith the top and put on the cover, pressing it down until the lugs E Eenter the groove G and bear upon the rubber band X. In this operationthe corrugations D D D D cause some of the contents to escape in thedirection indicated by the arrows through the hole F and force out allor nearly all of the air. I then drive the plug 0 into the hole F, usingsome force, so that it may be retained. The moisture of the contentswill swell the plug Oand hold it firmly in place. I have now excludedall or nearly all of the air from the jar. After standing the content-stend to settle, which, as no air can enter from outside the jar,produces a partial vacuum between the top of the contents and the underside of the cover. Atmospheric pressure will now force the cover down,the lugs E E bearing on the rubber band and sliding in the groove G G,and as long as the partial vacuum exists inside the jar the cover willbe firmly held thereon. As there is little, if any, air within the jar,fermentation of the contents is not likely to result. Should the goods,however, ferment, the gases of fermentation will exert a back pressureon the cover, which becomes greater as fermentation proceeds, and thisbackpressure will finally force the cover from the jar, therebyindicating in an unmistakable manner that the contents have spoiled andpreventing accidental sale of damaged goods.

What I claim is-- 1. As a new article of manufacture a fruit or otherjar and cover, said cover having a hole near its center, a plug fittingsaid hole, channel-cut corrugations on the under side 1o encircled nearits top by a groove and shoulder, said groove containing a fillingsubstance and adapted to admit and hold said lugs, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 17th day of May,1897, in the IS presence of Witnesses.

HERMAN HENRY BOKELMANN. Vitnesses:

LoUIs MATHOX, O. TIEDEMANN.

